I’ve taken up knitting again after a lapse of 35 years, and the number of new fibers and blends is amazing. Bamboo! Soy! I’ve begun with blends of wool or alpaca and acrylic for hats right now, but the selections at my LYS don’t compare to that of acrylics.
I see many different grades and textures of acrylic. The issue I generally have with pure synthetics is that I perspire in them. Have some of the new soft acrylics like Caron Simply Soft overcome that problem, or will I still feel like I’m wearing a plastic sweater?
I don’t think the single fiber acrylics are any different that way… acrylic is acrylic I think. They are definitely softer than the old ones that’s for sure.
If you get a blend with cotton, wool or some other fiber it makes a big difference. One of my favorites right now to knit with Plymouth Jeannee.
I usually knit at a looser gauge, like on size 10s for worsted, and that keeps the yarn from being so densely knit that the item gets too hot for me - either acrylic or wool.